All around the Mediterranean, people live for food, and it’s no surprise this dedication has not only spawned some of the best cuisines on the planet, but also the most appealing place where to indulge in a sumptuous dish. A recently renewed lunch spot in Trofa, a satellite town of Porto, tick all of our boxes. Aptly named Hora do Almoço, that’s Portuguese for ‘lunch time’, it’s run by chef Miguel Reis, who recently revealed the entirely revamped of his popular establishment. Reis commissioned local architecture practice NOARQ to create a contemporary tavern, but one which would both capture and evoke the essence of a traditional Portuguese eatery. The restaurant occupies two adjacent ground floor units situated in a courtyard, featuring a total floor space of 138 sqm. (1,485 sq.ft.). Each unit has been given a slightly vaulted ceiling, creating an atmosphere that hints the intimacy of taverns from a bygone era. A pine wood counter demarcates the kitchen area in one unit, while it’s concealed in the other behind a wall. Recessed shelving can be found on either side of Hora do Almoço, and although each comes with a bench attached, on the west side, it’s embedded in the side wall while curling around the venue’s sole booth at the same time. The stuccoed ceiling, walls and flooring are all dipped in neutral hues, allowing the furnishings and fixtures to stand out. Apart from the booth’s small round table, the restaurant sees square tables in different sizes, crafted from steel and wood, and paired with classic black wooden chairs. A third bench is integrated in a wooden partition dividing the two units. Suspended within the two vaults are elongated linear light fixtures, while a third is attached to the wall over the booth.
Hora do Almoço
Praceta Conde de São Bento 18
4785 Trofa
Telephone: +351 930 627455
Mon-Sat 12-2.30
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
